angel
by BlackRoseMuffin
Summary: Imagining Zack's death was always hard to remember, but being there with him as he lay dying was even harder.


DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

A/N: This me attempting to write Zack's death scene in my own way (I don't think I did it well OTL). In other words, this me slacking off on the Christmas chapter for KH:SS. I'll do it tomorrow. ... Maybe, I dunno. But know this: If I remember, it'll be up by Saturday. :3

SO, here it is. I hope you like it, even though I didn't include many parts. Also: I am sleep-deprived and I do not proof-read (nor do I have a beta), so tell me if you see any mistakes LOL.

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Zack's face was always transformed completely when he smiled. When he frowned, you knew he was serious; when his lips stretched upwards, however, it lit up his entire face, changing it from coolly calm to cheerful brightness. It was nice; Cloud always wondered how he was able to do such an amazing act without any effort at all. Perhaps it was because Zack's smiles were _(mostly)_ always sincere, always with a reason.

Sometimes, he smiled for no reason at all.

But he was Zack, so he was allowed his eccentricities.

Cloud reached out to him as he walked away, hand on large sword, to defeat their_ (former allies)_ enemies. He blacked out soon after, and when he awoke, it was raining.

He dragged himself to Zack, and found himself speechless when looking at the bloody body, when he looked into those enchanting blue eyes and saw they were hazy, clouded. His breath caught in astonishment. "Z-Zack..." It was almost phrased as a question.

Zack gave a little gasp, maybe a bit of a groan, and he clenched his teeth. His mouth opened slightly as the small shudder subsided, and he lifted his head a bit to look at Cloud, lips twisting into a small smile. "For the... Both of us," he began, his voice sounding weary and desolate and was that despair—or desperation?

Cloud looked at him, waiting for him to continue, but Zack just breathed. After a few moments, Cloud prompted, his voice small, "Both... Of us?"

There was a pause, and Zack prepared himself. "That's right," he breathed. "You're gonna..."

Cloud looked at him a moment, before lowering his head in a half-nod. "You're gonna..."

Zack lifted his left arm with a soft grunt that showed how much energy he had exerted to do the simple action, and almost grabbed the back of Cloud's head, fisting his hand in the younger man's flaxen locks. He brought Cloud's head down, and spoke one word as the blond's face met his chest, finishing his sentence: "_Live_."

There was silence, broken only by their breathing.

"You'll be..." Zack continued, his voice beginning to convey his anguish, "my living legacy."

He released Cloud, too tired to force his arm to stay, and allowed the limb to drop back onto the ground, the elbow hitting the rough surface first. Cloud lifted his head slowly, sitting back on his legs. Blood covered the right side of his face, and part of his fringe. He didn't seem to notice.

There was silence as Cloud looked at Zack, looked as though he were about to say something, stopped, and finally just looked at the dark-haired man wordlessly.

Zack's lips were parted, still in the small smile, and he turned his face to the side. He tightened his grip on the _(sword that shall see its second master leave this world)_ Buster Sword, slowly lifting the heavy weapon. "My honor, my dreams," Zack said clearly, offering the sword to Cloud. The quirk of his lips vanished, and he looked at Cloud seriously. "They're yours now."

Cloud sluggishly wrapped one hand around the handle, only forcing his other hand to join it when Zack peeled his fingers off the hilt. Still, the older man didn't let go of it completely until Cloud moved faster, holding it where Zack's hand had been. Zack pushed it firmly toward Cloud, letting it drop back down after.

Cloud didn't let himself blink. "I'm... Your living... Legacy..." It was supposed to be a mere repeat of what Zack had said earlier, but it came out sounding like a question.

Zack allowed another smile to come to his lips, and closed his eyes, Cloud's face the only thing in his mind, to remember him, even when he's higher than the clouds, higher than the sky. The slight breeze ruffled his dark hair, making the lock of hair he called his bangs sway.

Cloud began choking up. His breath became ragged when he realized what just happened. He lifted his face to the sky, letting out one more exhale colored in _(wretchedness sadness agony gloom melancholy pain despondency desperation misery desolation grief heartbreak mortification woe suffering malaise distress torment hopelessness suffering)_ horror, threw his head back, and _screamed_.

As he stared up at the dark sky, he watched as, with haunted eyes, he remembered scenes, all of which contained Zack, contained him smiling. He was breathing quickly, his heart beating fast, and he could feel heat in the back of his eyes, signaling his approach to tears.

He looked with dead eyes as he remembered reaching out to the man as he walked away to defend him from the foes. He remembered blearily, his memory hazy, Zack talking to him on what seemed like a truck, finishing with a smile.

He didn't know how long he sat there, remembering, but when he returned to reality, the sky was clear, the sun shining through. He lowered his face, blinking one time; if there had been any onlookers, they would have thought he was looking reverently at the corpse.

Embrace your dreams. If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams.

Cloud inhaled, and exhaled. "Thank you," he murmured, feeling as though there was a large piece of his heart missing. He blinked again, trying to breathe right. "I won't forget." He stood up. He scrunched his face up slightly, his eyes starting to glisten as he tried to hold back tears. He closed his eyes, mouth twisting in a despairing frown.

He opened his mouth to look at his best friend's carcass and say, "Good night." Allowing his gaze to drag as he turned around, committing his appearance, his smile, his _everything_ to memory, he finally looked away, halting, as he uttered, "Zack."

He had to force himself not to look back, and began walking, lugging the Buster Sword along.


End file.
